Casa Del Mara Estates
by My-Curly-Cue
Summary: Jack Brewer is a teen who is dragged around forced to move constantly by his parents. When they buy the Casa Del Mara mansion in Long Beach, Jack meets a friend there. Kim Crawford. But whenever Jack's parents decide it's time to move again, what does Jack do so he can stay with Kim? And what feelings does this arouse? JackxKim Rated T for Romance, Mystery, Alcohol, and Drugs *OCC
1. Prologue

**Casa Del Mara Estates **

**~Prologue~ **

* * *

No Pov

Bone chilling tears of ice cold rain ripped through the windy night and with a splash, collided into the sleek black streets. Timothy Del Ravyn lounged inside of the formerly loud and busy bar that could beat all the sense out of you in just one visit during the late night hours. With the little to no delusional feelings he'd regularly get, he could almost honestly tell you that all of his senses were functioning properly and giving him a strong foundation of knowing where, in fact, he was and what he was doing at that particular moment. But in the midst of all the partying and drinking that was all around him just the hour before, he was sober and his usual quirky well-being mind should be back along with his regular fun demeanor. Well, should be back. His body language was the same as always and his looks were all the same as always, but his mind was somewhere completely apart from the dimension his body was currently living in. Along with his mind, his eyes were also completely stripped of the normally witty spirited look his own father was also possessed with too. A dull heavy set feeling lingered in his once-brown orbs and he could even tell that the gleam of warmth and security wasn't there.

The forty-one year old man sipped his drink he had made for himself around thirty-minutes ago. The drink was as weak as he could make it. The consumption of alcohol did not seem as compelling as it did just before the midnight to mid-morning party. Ever since all of the late-night customers left about forty-five minutes ago, he has been sitting in the wooden chair glumly staring out of the fogged wide window that nearly covered the whole entire front wall of the corner-lot bar. It was already four-twenty-six am and Timothy did not even start clean up yet. He wasn't present in his body to even concentrate on controlling himself, much less to clean up an after-party of the town's weekend get-away.

The bar had an old rustic feeling that was extremely common for any other bar. The floors, walls, and ceiling was a caramel colored wood and it gave the whole restaurant a closed in feeling. That is, until you notice the fifty foot long window at the front where people walking the streets could look inside. Many, many decorations, photographs, and even Del Ravyn and his father's awards for best food and drink competitions were nailed onto the cedar planks of wood that built the wall.

Just then, Del Ravyn heard the bar tender's swinging door open with a squeal. The high-pitched noise, bringing him back to reality, made him remember the lack of oil that, that door hinge needed. His wife's voice, Fluer, echoed in his head, lecturing him about getting that door fixed and how it always had bothered her. A tiny grin pulled at the corners of his mouth at the mere thought of the vivid memory. Timothy's ears perked whenever he had heard footsteps exit out of the kitchen and into the bar. A sigh was heard and he instantly knew it was Ryan Jester. Jester is the bar tender of the Long Beach campus of the Del Ravyn's Restaurant and Bar; he was hired by Timothy Del Ravyn himself.

"Would you like help with the clean up, sir? I've only got the bar to clean and it really wasn't that messy tonight." Ryan's voice had killed the comfortable silence Timothy was being controlled by. The man chuckled at Jester's serving spirit and he slowly stood up to his feet. With a grunt from his lips he made his way over to the bar area to meet the boy. Jester was merely twenty-two with sandy-blond hair that was cut short. His green eyes were light and full of life, giving Del Ravyn remembrance of his own son's.

That was one of the reasons Del Ravyn hired Jester, he was too much like his own son to be put down. His shorter, lanky look gave Del Ravyn the feeling that if Jester and his son stood side by side, he couldn't tell the difference between the two.

"Nah, it'll be takin' care of Jess. You get outta here, I'll lock up." Timothy replied letting the boy go for the rest of the upcoming weekend. Jester had been working long tiring night shifts for the past week and Del Ravyn knew that Ryan was severely stressed and just completely worn out juggling his job, College school work, and his Aunt who he's living with all with one hand. Jester's Aunt, Elizabeth, is a widow of seven years and whenever Jester got a scholarship to California State University he decided to go and live with his Aunt who is only a ten minute drive from the University's campus.

Jester had known about his friends already planning for him to come and live with them in their dorm but Jester knew that he had to resign. He wanted to stay with his Aunt because she was, in fact, out of work and living poorly. So with the money Jester was able to receive through the bar tending at Del Ravyn's, he was able to keep his Aunt's house and his College school work filled with enough income to be sustained.

"Alright, thanks sir, see you Monday." he answered a slight excitement in his voice. Jester had planned to go to the city's church service with his Aunt for the first time in a while and he wanted to get at least some sleep for the morning. He had once attended a small church back when he was a young child with his parents but after graduating into High School and College he had stopped going.

Jester then grabbed the cloth he was using to wipe down the counter-top and slipped into his pants pocket. Ryan turned and right before he had the chance to walk into the back where the kitchen was, Del Ravyn stopped him.

"I better not see you here until Wednesday night, Jess." his voice warned Jester. Already aware of the situation Jester had in hand, he wanted him to be refreshed this week. Ryan's eyes then filled with worry. He turned around, black converse shoes making a clamping sound to the floor because of the stickiness spilled drinks made, so he could look at Timothy in the eyes.

"But sir, I need the money for my-"

"With pay." Del Ravyn's sweet voice interrupted Jester's, a smirk plastering his warm face. Jester's eyes lit up as a smile played his own lips.

Ryan then turned and he chose his dark brown leather oxford jacket from the behind-the-bar coat hanger and he held it in his hands timidly. He was very thankful for how Del Ravyn worked at this campus of his whole entire chain of bars and how he was not a rich fool who only used his workers to do everything for him. His loyalty towards his, not just co-workers but friends, was astounding and it made everyone happy.

"Thank you sir." he thanked Timothy. Del Ravyn nodded as he rested his elbows on the bar's counter-top. Jester then left the bar and into the kitchen. Del Ravyn exhaled audibly letting his breathing calm his already stressed spirit down. Frozen a few seconds, Del Ravyn finally stood up from leaning against the counter, knuckles knocking on the wood to a certain beat. Del Ravyn turned away from the bar and examined the room. He immediately knew that he would be here for a little while longer than he originally planned but he cared for Jester and he knew that deciding to let him go for the weekend was helpful towards the boy.

Timothy's whistling rang throughout the bar creating the tune he had heard through the radio in his car driving to work prior to that lonesome night. The broom he swept with was brushing the messes on the floor into piles with the beat of his whistling.

Del Ravyn was thinking about this morning in how Fluer had asked him to bring home some milk for the cake she was baking. Tomorrow, meaning today since it was already nearly dawn, the Del Ravyn's first born's birthday was scheduled. His daughter was turning twenty and Mrs. Del Ravyn decided on baking a surprise cake for her whenever she drove down here to visit. Carol was Del Ravyn's first daughter's name. She had moved to Sacramento attending Sacramento State College just three years before. Because of her astonishing intelligence, she was able to graduate from High School nearly two years early than the rest of her classmates.

He then stopped in hearing the kitchen's door silently swing open this time and heard Jester's light footsteps approach him.

"'Night sir." he said his goodbyes to Del Ravyn. Del Ravyn smiled and lifted his sweaty hand up in reply. Jester then left the bar making the little bell hanging above the glass door furiously chime soprano notes. Del Ravyn then continued to sweep the sticky floor under neath the tables which carried the chairs that had been flipped up signalling that cleaning of the bar was now in session.

It was then when Del Ravyn's senses' attention was caught and his gaze zipped up and out of the fogged window. He heard people's screams and extremely loud noises that could make your whole body violently shake with tremendous fear. Curious as to what all of the rioting commotion was all about, Del Ravyn then dropped the broom stick making a loud clanking noise on the ground. But, the noise the broom stick had belted was overcome by the racket seeping through the non-sound proof window and glass door securing the air conditioning inside of the bar. Del Ravyn walked up to the door and looked left and right taking in the scene. Alls he saw were the few towns people who walked the streets at this hour, running down to the corner of El Camino and Delago St, which is in fact the corner of which the bar is located. Del Ravyn cautiously then opened the door to the bar as a young man raced by to check out what all this fuss was about. The door shut behind Del Ravyn as he stepped out of the bar's premises. Then, his eyes scanned over the cars parked along the sidewalk. Jester's was still parked. Confused, he decided to look for the boy.

Then, his eyes widened as he jumped, yet another loud bang echoed through the streets causing the people to uproar again. This time, Del Ravyn was able to see the crime. A tall lanky man dressed in all black from head to toe was armed and firing across the street. Searching around the suspect, Del Ravyn's gaze found a body lying lifeless on the sidewalk. Del Ravyn's brown orbs widened in realization of what was in fact happening. But then, he noticed where the majority the people were running to. At the end of the sidewalk where Del Ravyn stood shocked, people gathered around.

As if on instinct Del Ravyn's feet briskly carried him into the small crowd. He pushed his way through and what he saw made his heart sink. There on the ground in a thick pool of blood was Jester. Two strangers were attending him trying to keep him awake. Del Ravyn lowered down to him.

"We're calling an ambulance and the cops. Just wait you'll be fine." he tried to calm the heavily breathing young adult. But, Jester knew he wouldn't make it. The dying young man didn't respond but just stared grimly into Del Ravyn's nearly black sorrowful eyes. Del Ravyn's hand slipped into Jester's as he started to take notice to how the boy was most certainly going to die.

Two gunshot wounds were painted across Jester's chest with blood spurring out of them. Knowing there was nothing no one could do not even the paramedics, Del Ravyn still denied the fact that he will not make it. Then, another gun shot was fired. Del Ravyn's eyes snapped shut but then he perked his head up to get a glimpse of where the shooter was. He wasn't found.

Del Ravyn's attention was now pulled to the sounds of sirens. Cops were raging in at full speed from the North end of El Camino road. The police cars slammed on their breaks. The leader was already parked, opened doors and weapons drawn as the one behind emptied and the licensed officers came running up. From the East side of Delago Street, an ambulance came bellowing in and stopped at the light. As paramedics hoped out with a stretcher, Del Ravyn looked down to Jester. Jester's breathing was stopped and his usually bright full of life face was as nearly white as a sickening ghost.

Jester was already gone.

The paramedics, did however, pull him to the stretcher and take his body away. Del Ravyn stood up, minimum amounts of Jesters blood thinly spread on his sleeve of his light brown coat, and was not the least bit happy. Del Ravyn could already imagine the picture in his mind:

_Ryan Jester_

_1964-1986_

His blood boiled towards the suspect who had killed his friend and his every intention was to catch this killer.

Del Ravyn quickly stood up and turned to the streets. The shooter was no where in sight. Of course he had made a break for it in hearing the cops in fear for his life but Del Ravyn had the slight gut feeling that a shooter as this man couldn't have escaped that quickly with little to no escapes or well hidden places to hide. But this being said, Del Ravyn calmed himself down slightly in knowing that the cops will find the killer and he will be set to jail, maybe worse.

A cumbersome frown was set on Del Ravyn's face as he solemnly stalked back into the bar. The tiny bell chimed yet again stealing the silence in the room but after the door closed and the bell stopped humming, silence overcame the room making the clean bar now tense and extremely empty. Del Ravyn's heavy breathing was what finally broke the chains of the unbearable silence as his heart rate quickly escalated. With a solemn expression on his face, Del Ravyn slowly walked around each table then picking up each chair, flipped them to their appropriate state, and let them stand on their own legs. After ten minutes, the bar was proficiently cleaned. Del Ravyn slowly walked towards the coat hanger and examined it. He quickly found his belongings and snitched his dark brown velvet hat off of the coat hanger and set it on his clean cut deep brunette hair. He flipped all the lights off with one switched and stepped out of the bar.

Slipping the keys out of his coat's inside pocket, he pressed the proper key into the hole and twisted it. Del Ravyn then looked up to the sign and slipped his hands into his pockets. The end of the illumining red "Ravyn's" was starting to flicker out. The building was a light cappuccino colored paint but from aging and weather, the top of the building started deterring and looked like it was very old and breaking down.

The empty bar was shut and locked up. Timothy took a few steps back and watched his prize possession for a few more minutes. Then, Del Ravyn then hung his head low and grimly stalked down the street, away from the newly found abandoned Del Ravyn's Bar and Grill for the very last time.

* * *

**R&R**

**~Lee:]**


	2. Never Will Get Used To This Change

**Casa Del Mara Times**

**~How About This Change~**

* * *

No Pov

_*Twenty-Seven-Years Later*_

The deep heavy music rang through the room and it overpowered the constant banging on the white painted closed and locked door. The room was empty and the once fully decorated walls were now in utter shock of being stripped of their various posters and other such room décor. The only piece of furniture left was a mattress and that mattress didn't even have a bed or box spring to furnish with it. A small window was etched into the far west side wall of the room. Its vertical doors were opened and the short white curtains were pulled back letting the sun shine down into the room giving some light. The cold breeze also made the heat from the sun actually die away some letting the natural air conditioning let lose.

His chocolate brown eyes were shut and he lay on the mattress lifeless but not asleep. Dark brunette hair streamed down almost covering his closed eyes teasing at his eye lashes. The deep dark red shirt he wore was the only color in the room and it made him pop out from the rest of the white washed walls, doors, and window. He had been laying there on the mattress ever since he had heard the terrible news that he knew would change he life; certainly for the worst. The headphones over his ears were blasting the music that had once settled him but it seemed as if it would not even help him calm down the slightest bit. Now, even though it seemed, to him, that the music was actually echoing around the room filling the room up with some emotion, in reality it was only him feeling it.

The music free flowing from his head phones could not be heard outside of the white washed door and the little girl behind the door wanted to get into the room. She knew that he was in there so; she tried to open the door. As usual, it was locked. So the tiny girl then started to hit the door. After a few minutes she groaned and banged her forehead against the door keeping it their. Her light brunette hair was tied back into two pigtails and her brown orbs were staring down at her feet.

The girl was merely five and she was very small for her age. Her parents had to tell people that she was in fact older than three and four which was very hard half the time. Tiny pink ballet slippers were tied around her minuscule tanned feet. The girl loved those shoes so much it was nearly impossible for her mom to take them off her daughter to just wash them. A pink, blue, and orange tutu was around her slim waist and it was also one of her favorite articles of clothing she owned. A pink t-shirt was tied in the back so that it didn't drape over her skirt. She says that he mommy always had to tie it back because she wasn't ever able to. But now she can and she's very proud of her success.

The child just kept staring down at her feet with her forehead resting on the door, banging her fist against the door. Her mother had told her to go and get her older brother for her and she always was so excited whenever her mother asked that of her because she never was able to go and see her brother on her own. That, she did not know why. She was only told to not go up and see him by her parents, so she listens to them as usual. Her small fist kept on striking the door wishing that he would answer her plea to come it.

Black shoes were cast down by the bed and they were just about dried of the melting snow that settled outside in their front yard. The iPod in his left hand was nearing the end of its battery life and he knew that he would have to go downstairs and into a death trap. No, he didn't want to talk to anyone that was down their currently nor would he. He decided that he would just go down, get the charger, and race back into actual civilization. Soon, the iPod itself turned the volume a few notches down on setting for it to save battery life and he caught that as his queue to leave the former bedroom.

As he sat up, he groaned as he pulled the head phones off his head. They landed on the mattress and just stared up at him. He then nearly jumped out of his skin in hearing banging on the door. His eyes dulled as he suspected it to be his mother. He, in all honesty, did not wan to talk to her right now; nor anyone. But, he didn't want to ignore his own family so he just rose to his feet and glumly walked to the door as if he were still asleep; maybe even a zombie. When he opened the door, he didn't see anyone but whenever he felt something fall against his leg, he gasped. He looked down looking at his sister. For once, he grinned at her as she quickly got off of his leg. He had just realized that she was at the door for a while now since she was literally falling asleep against it.

"Jackie, mommy wanted you." her high, tired voice informer him. He grinned and opened the door more. The tiredness in her eyes instantly vanished as she realized that he had actually opened the door for her to come in. She raced in and he quickly closed the door. Jack was his name. His younger sister always called him that for reasons he never did fully know yet. He then turned to her and her usually hyper figure was frozen. Yes, she had been inside his room a couple of times and she remembered how fully of life and personality it was but now, in seeing how empty and dull it was she was extremely confused. She then slowly turned to him eyes widened with confusion. He chuckled at her then walked over and sat on his bed.

"Why is nothing in here?" she asked after coming and landing on the bed. Her legs were now crisscrossed and her hands played with the cord attaching his iPod and head phones.

"Because it's all in the truck, remember?" Jack's quiet voice replied. She nodded taking in the information she had already known. Because of all the energy in her body and the quick minded personality she had, she was always bouncing off the walls and couldn't remember things as much as other kids.

"Mind too?" she asked. He remembered just that morning her yelling at her parents who were stealing all her stuffed animals from her room to put into the truck. She thought that she'd never see them again and started to freak out. She sat in the middle of her empty purple painted room, eyebrows furrowed, and arms folded. She ignored everyone until time passed. Of course, she was an innocent little girl so she would forget about the grudges she held against other people in just an hour or so later, prior to the fight she had had.

He nodded in answering her question. Jack then grabbed his iPod and stood up. She stared up at him and he, at her.

"Do you need your charger?" she asked him. He nodded and she grinned as she jumped up and sped out of the room. A small grin pulled at his lips in seeing her escape out of the room to catch his iPod charger for him. Standing there a minute, he finally decided that he should in fact go downstairs a see why his mom had called him through his little sister.

Jack slipped the iPod into his jeans' pocket and left the head phones around his neck as he slipped into his shoes. Then, he walked out of his room. He was extremely upset about moving yet again. It's been the third time he's had to move to a whole different city, whole different state, even across the country. Jack remembered that just the year before around this time; he had been clearing out his room again in North Carolina. His mom and dad decided to move to Washington for something he didn't even care about. Yes, they talked to him about why they kept moving and no, he didn't listen. But now, they were in Michigan moving to California. Even though he was sick and tired about being lugged around the country never getting to stay in one area and actually have a life, he was the smallest bit excited about moving to California. He has been in every state and Cali is his favorite. Of course, out of the many states he's lived in his parents never decided to live in California but now, he has the chance.

What hurt the most about all of this was that he's never lived in a house where real family memories and emotions were. His friends have talked about things like that and he's been apart of them but never known what they actually meant or felt like. But then again, they were only acquaintances. Jack told himself after the fourth time his family had moved that he'd never make any other close friendships ever again and for the past eight years he has succeeded.

Jack reached the first story of the house and everything was out of place and almost cleared into the mover's truck. Since the Brewers have moved so many times, they have begun to learn to live with very few furniture and such and still have decent homes. Jack has especially. He's always the first one packed and ready to go because it hurts him even more the longer they linger in the building they call home on the last day they will live in it.

"Jack," he was caught off guard and turned towards the back door. Whenever you reach the bottom of the stairs, you can turn left to walk into the lobby where you leave through the front door. If you turn right, you enter the corridor that brings you to the living room and kitchen. The house wasn't that big but it wasn't small either. It was very spacious and bright for a small family like theirs.

Jack then caught gaze with one of his friends from his school, John.

"Hey." Jack greeted expressionlessly as he walked up. Everyone who knew Jack had known he never did carry that much emotion and he acted and looked strong. But in reality, Jack was a wreck inside whenever he had to say goodbye for he knew that some of these friends could have been very strong friendships in the time to come, like John.

"You might come back to visit right?" John asked. Jack nodded with a bittersweet grin spreading on his lips. He wished he could and would be he was almost one-hundred percent certain they would never see each other again.

"Good." John then replied smiling back. Then Jack and John heard a faint yell. They turned around and saw Jack's little sister run into the passage between the living room and kitchen where Jack and John stood from the opened backdoor.

"Jo-o-o-ohn." her high pitch voice exclaimed. John instantly smiled and as the little girl ran to him, he grabbed her into his arms.

"Mi-a-a-a." he replied. She laughed and hugged him. Ever since Mia met John, she's loved him and though he was "the coolest" of Jack's friends; her quotes. Jack chuckled as Mia pulled back from John.

"You're gonna come back to see me right?" John asked her. She smiled and grinned uneasily. Jack had always told Mia to just smile and nod in response if anyone asked that because they both did know that they wouldn't. John then let her down and she ran back to the backyard where her dad supposedly was.

Immediately after, the front door opened and interrupted the teen's beginning conversation. Jack's mom then walked in not closing the door.

"Ready to go?" she asked happily. Jack just nodded but a disgusted look was on his face. Oblivious to all of Jack's pessimistic feelings towards her at the moment, she just smiled.

"Well, I'll see ya later." John said goodbye to Jack. Jack then turned from his mom and nodded.

"Yeah, see ya." he responded faking a smile back at John. The three then emerged from the desolate house. Nearly all of the heavy snow was melted and the sun shone down onto the dull blades of wet grass. Out from the left side of the house, Mia came soaring in running as fast as she could. She had her small multi-colored paper-plastic butterfly that was attaché to a long stick. It was waving above her head and she ran by playing along with her own imagination.

The slick rounded street was full from the moving truck and the two cars the family owns. This house they lived on was located at the base of a cul-de-sac, nearly hidden by the many big and broad oak trees growing around the neighboring houses as well. John then grabbed his skateboard from the front porch and skated away from the Brewer's former home.

Jack's shoes made a quiet deep sound with each step he took towards the curse moving truck. The wind brushed his long slightly curly brunette hair across his eyes as he walked against it. His sister didn't mind moving but he knew that whenever she grew older and more mature she'd mind and start having the emotion and feeling beat out of her because of all the moves. Jack cared a lot about his sister. She meant the world to him. He wished that his mom would let Mia around him more but Jack knew that it was for Mia's own good. Sometimes, he's glad his mom doesn't let Mia around Jack on a regular basis. Why is she not allowed by her own brother? Because, the moving and constant stress about anything in everything affects him differently than it does Mia. From the years of moving and meeting new people and new cities all the time, he grew to have Anxiety Disorder and other social and mental disorders not yet diagnosed. But, he didn't care about what he had, he just wanted to learn how to deal with the attacks he gets and he does it successfully. He never wants his sister to see him in a delirious state or during an attack because he never wants to scare her or keep her in constant confusion and worry about him.

"Let's get going Jay." Jack turned in hearing his dad's voice. Mr. Brewer closed and locked the backyard gate and then led Jack towards the truck. Jack didn't respond but he followed his father to the truck. Mia and Jack's mother drove together in the black twenty-twelve Corolla as Jack and his dad rode in the truck. With a sigh that only Jack heard, Jack climbed into the tall truck and sat in the passenger seat. As his dad closed his own door and started the engine, Jack peered out of the scratched window and examined the house. The dull eighties style home looking back at him gave him memories of a total of six months. The darkened bricks implanted in the walls gave the lighter bricks contrast; a very common look for a home.

Jack then turned to the street whenever his dad pressed the gas. He wished that this would be the last time they'd ever move but inside, he expected it to not be. No actually, he was absolutely positive that it was not. Jack's usually light brown eyes that always had their way of catching the sun's reflective shine, were now dark and shallow; as they watched his unfamiliar neighborhood vanish yet again. He never gets the chance to grow close to the people or neighborhoods his family drags him around to because they always decide to move so quickly.

Jack slips deeper into his seat and pulled the head phones over his ears while he pulls the iPod out of his pocket. He then remembers about the lack of battery and plugged his iPod into the car charger. He hit play and the music then turns his introverted feeling on. Jack's dad tried to talk to him but Jack never responded. Yes, Jack heard his father. No, he did not want to even look at him. Mr. Brewer dared to even try to get his son's attention.

The song currently playing was, "Paper Thin Hymn" by "Anberlin". It was one of Jack's favorite songs. He shifted positions in the seat so he could easily avoid his father's hard gaze.

**Who's going to call on Sunday mornings?**

**Who's going to drive you home?**

**I just want one more chance,**

**To put my arms in fragile hands!**

The words sank into him unlike before. He had just finally gotten into the type of rock "Anberlin" was categorized in. Jack usually listens to more of a harder, deeper rock, metal sometimes, and "Anberlin" was a big change for him; his sister even enjoys their pop and rock sound.

Jack then exhaled the breath of air he has been holding for the past several minutes and closes his eyes hoping to slip away from reality for the time being. He thought long and hard about this move and how he really hated it. The thoughts of who might live near and where they might live in California and what house it will be in were only few of the thousands of questions swarming around in his wrecked brain. He tried to keep his cool especially around Mia; he couldn't stand seeing her upset or worried. So, of course he hid everything from her, his parents, and the people he knows wherever he has lived. Jack never calls the teens his friends because one; he never gets enough time to actually get to know the kids and two; he knows he'll never see any of them again anyways so why even bother? Jack felt his body leave in and out of consciousness many times before his senses were finally turned off and he slipped into dark sleep.

_"Jack!" She laughed her heart out as she ran away from him. Jack chased his little sister through the backdoor and into the backyard. The tall trees were starting to loose their leaves and a bright orange glow radiated off of everything. Crinkles under each of their feet were heard from the dead, crispy leaves._

_Jack then caught up to little Mia and swung her up into his arms. She screamed again before laughing. That was when he spotted a leave pile. With a small toss, Mia was thrown into the leave pile and her yes widened as to the ride Jack had just given to her. She crawled through the leave that coward over her and her head stuck out to face Jack. Jack then smiled and fell in next to her._

_The siblings stared up into the branches of the broad tree and watched the snowing leaves rain down on them. Turning his head towards the trunk of the tree, Jack then saw a small purple flower grown by a weed and plucked it out of the dirt at the base of the wide trunk. He turned to Mia as she turned to him and lifted it up to her. Her eyes then glowed as she saw it. Her tiny hand received it from him and she smiled her cute signature smile at him._

His glazed-over, brown eyes snapped open. Jack was jolted away by a bump in the rode. With slight moan, Jack sat up in his chair as he pulled his iPod up from the floor where it had fallen. It read six-twenty-three pm. The Brewers had already driven two and one half hours into this far, boring trip. Jack then knew that, that meant that they had to be somewhere in Indiana or Illinois. Quickly, Jack slid the headphones back over his ears. "The Diary of Jane" by "Breaking Benjamin" was playing and he just decided to keep the song playing not knowing what to change the iPod to, if he did that is.

His tired eyes just stared out the window just watching the many cars zip by or be passed by them. Jack's mind then wandered to California again. A small grin pulled at his lips. He had wanted to live there and thought his family would move to Orange County in two-thousand-eight but his mom was hesitant to even travel there. It seemed as if whatever he liked, whenever he wanted to go, or whatever he just wanted to do, she never did and that made him uncomfortable and angry most of the time. Or course, he hid all those feelings, yet again, because he knew his input would never change anything.

Jack's mind lingered on the topic of his mom for a few more minutes before he drowsily fell asleep again.

**:...:...:...:...:**

The opened scratched, old window was rolled all the way down and the cool spring breeze was ripping in through the truck. The fresh smell of the Pacific Ocean was light in the air and the feeling of surf came over anyone who was either outside or peering outside. It was now ten-thirty-seven am on a cloudless beach weather Sunday. The Brewers finally made it into California and were less than a mile away from their new city, Long Beach. Whenever the sun had settled through the opened passenger side window of the mover's truck, Jack opened his eyes in feeling the warmth he's been longing to feel ever since they had moved from Tallahassee, Florida back in two-thousand-nine.

His now awake and bright eyes were opened and he examined the view outside. Jack grinned for the first time during the trip and was now already satisfied in the move to Long Beach, California. He then pulled the headphones down so that they rested around his neck as he paused the music he was formerly listening to. Then, right when Jack didn't think it could have gotten any better, being in California for the first time since he was eight, a small cyan blue sign painted in bold white letters read,

_Welcome to Long Beach California!_

_Enjoy Your Stay_

With a smirk, Jack snapped a picture of it with his iPod. Over the years of the numerous moves he has been dragged through, he has seen many city welcoming signs and has taken a photo of each and every one of them. Right after Jack saved the picture, he then placed it in the, "Welcome Home" file where all of the photos of the signs he has taken were kept.

Jack then looked back up to the road and realized that they were already entering a city. Liking the city much more than the former places he has lived in the last two years, Jack exhaled a breath of relief in having a sense of comfort brush through him.

After stopping at a red light, Jack felt his father's eyes on him. The suddenly awake teen gazed over at his father.

"You seem happy to be back." his dad pointed out. Jack nodded.

"More like relieved; it will be gone once we move again." Jack replied in all honesty no knowing how to reply. His dad looked away from him and back at the rode where the red stop light had turned green.

"I promise that this will be the last time we move." Jack was still listening to his dad's voice expecting there to be an ending to his sentence but it never did come. Jack's brunette hair brushed along his neck as he quickly whipped his gaze to his father. He then chuckled slightly.

"Isn't that what you said the last three times we moved?" Jack asked slight sarcasm switching in because of his stress and drowsiness. Mr. Brewer smirked as he shook his head at his son.

"Well, I mean it this time. We'll stay here jack, don't worry." Jack just shook his head not believing his father and just turned back to the city. He loved how the city was almost retro style and it reminded him of Miami back in Florida. Jack would steal a few more pictures from the town's buildings, cars, and even people before he'd be distracted with something else.

Then, Jack's eyes caught someone else's. It was a guy his age. He was on a black bicycle with two of his friends. His hair was nearly as long as Jack's, beach blond and slightly curly. He wore black aviator glasses and a small grin pulled at his lips. Jack smiled back before the skater turned back to his friend who tried to get his attention.

The sun was gleaming off of the ocean that tossed waves that Jack could catch sight on in the distance. Jack was ecstatic to go out and surf again. He had started to surf when he was six and he has loved it since but whenever his family took him away from the coast, it has been a real struggle for him to catch up on the sport.

Mr. Brewer then took a right turn where on the right side of the street was the city and the left was all forest like palms and some other small trees. Jack was confused on where his father had taken a right turn instead of a left; for all of the busier, fuller neighborhoods were to the left. Jack kept silent about it though.

Finally, after about five minutes of the same continuous sights, Jack's father made a left into a subdivision. The entrance sign to the neighborhood read,

_Casa Del Mara Estates_

With slight confusion, Jack still just shrugged off the fact that this house was probably a lot different than he expected it to be. The anxiety to see the new house and the street he would soon live on started to build in Jack as his father would not take any of the turns that he could have chosen. His brunette orbs zipped to the rear view mirror and saw his mom's car still behind them. The treetops were hovering over the street and other humongous homes giving shade to the neighborhood. Jack didn't mind though, he thought it gave a very protecting sense to him and his family.

Finally, Jack's dad spun the rather large steering wheel and the truck full of all of the Brewer's belongings turned right again down the road called El Torrente. The road did not feel any different than the other road and he soon wondered if anyone has ever gotten lost in such a neighborhood, thinking about if his father did in fact get confused as to where their new home was.

Soon Jack's anxious vibe died away and he just paced his right leg in desire to just get home and rest from the truck the two have been riding in for the past two days. Thankfully, Jack's dad turned onto a rode whose sign read Dead End. Jack knew that they were extremely close now. As if all the questions and rampage in Jack's head suddenly stampeded back into Jack's head and slammed into him like a ton of bricks, Jack just stared at the house in utter confusion.

A gate was in front of them and words etched into them were,

_Casa Del Mara Manor_

Manor? The single word kept swirling around Jack's mind. He didn't actually believe this his own parents would by a multi-million dollar home in Long Beach, California because of no particular reason. If you even knew the Brewer's parents, then you'd be astonished in why they would do such a thing. Yes Jack's parents were extremely rich but they never bought anything big like this, just hundreds of houses selling and buying them dragging their miserable son around with them; not buying some million dollar mansion and staying their. Mr. Brewer then reached into the glove box and pulled out a remote. He clicked the button and the gates started to roll apart.

Mr. Brewer then led his family through the gate and down the long driveways up to the mansion. It was not very long; Jack could see the house from the gates. Finally, after what felt to be one thousand years, Jack was actually relived to be out of the truck. His numb legs carried him across the driveway and up to the Corolla. He smiled a real smile whenever he heard his sister's voice. She had swung that back door open after unbuckling herself from her car seat. Mia slammed the door shut.

"Yay!" She exclaimed as she ran into Jack's arms. Jack quickly held her up in his arms.

"Finally we're home." she finished. Jack smiled again; glad that she still had the obliviousness she's had her whole life. But then, Jack wondered if she thought that moving from house to house was a casual way to live; everyone always did it. He just shrugged it off being abnormally care-free about anything in everything. He looked up and saw his mom close the driver's car door.

Surprisingly, Jack saw the expression on his mom's face change; she knew how confused he was. Jack was a little bit uneasy wondering how she had read him so quickly but then, he just pushed it to the back of his mind to think about later. The four of them finally met up and walked up to the door. Jack's father looked into the mailbox and pulled out a letter. He opened it and out came a key. Jack suspected that the salesman they bought the house from left it there for him.

Then, the door easily opened when Mr. Brewer unlocked it. The lights were on already and a warm feeling was immediately felt whenever the four had walked in. The décor of the house was actually one of the early to late eighteen-hundreds. Jack's eyes widened as he studied the lobby of the house. The walls were a dark bluish-gray obviously aged but they were still in extremely well taken care of condition. There were two winding staircases escalating up to the second story. By the looks of it, if you were walking up them you could see out into the dining room, lobby, and library. Jack assumed that if you walked through the corridor between the two staircases the living room was located.

Suddenly, Jack and his parents jumped in hearing a gasp. The three of them realized that Mia was not around them and they looked to the right. Mia was staring up at something that was in the small room next to them. Jack walked up behind her and chuckled as he saw her face. She was staring up at a painting of a seventeen-hundred dressed man who was dazed, staring at you. But then, Jack realized that if they stared at it longer, the more and more real and creepy it felt.

The two walked back into the lobby. Then, Jack's parents told Jack and Mia to go and look at the whole house. Mia laughed and ran away as Jack lingered around looking at all of the vintage and older style décor and furnishings.

About an hour later, Mr. Brewer called out saying that the people he had asked to help unload their stuff had arrived. Jack raced down stairs to help unpack everything.

**:...:...:...:...:**

Jack exhaled audibly as he casually walked down the extremely long hallway on the second story. The teen didn't want his room to be located anywhere higher than the second story; he felt too distant from everyone else. He then entered the room he claimed his. The room opened silently and he walked into the room flipping on the lights. It was passed nine pm and he was absolutely worn out. His room was nearly three times as big as it was back in Michigan and he wasn't one-hundred-percent sure as to if he liked it or not.

He walked up to the deepest wall where double French doors were placed and opened them. They lead to a smaller size balcony. But then, he turned away from the doors and just laid down on his bed. Five foot long windows were on either sides of the French doors and Jack had pulled the curtains back so that it wouldn't feel so closed in and dark. His eyes traveled around his room. The décor and posters he had had in Michigan were pinned to the walls and it gave him a sense of comfort showing that it wasn't a completely bad place. Since the lights in his room were on the darkest setting, he could easily see any light that was turned on outside. His attention was pulled to a high light that came from his balcony. It was level to his room and he was curious as to what it was.

Jack walked over to the window and looked out it. He gasped and almost jumped back whenever he saw _another_ mansion next to his. He had never noticed the house before but then again, he did see how it was hidden by the trees down below on the driveway. He looked at the window it came from and saw that the room had a balcony as well. What he saw next gave him a confusing sense of surprise.

There in the room was another teen around his age. Her hair was long and beach blond, pulled back in a pony tail. She was sitting on her bed and it seemed as if she held pencil in her right hand. Her eyes were staring off into space and she was mouthing something. It seemed like she was trying to remember a tune to a song and couldn't quiet get it. That is, until she smiled and looked back down to her notebook. The pencil furiously scribbled down whatever she had just thought of in mind. Jack's eyes widened. She was probably writing a song.

He thought about quitting the stalker-ish stare t the girl but he couldn't get himself to pull away. Then, was a smile she closed her book and tossed it to what seemed to be a chair next to her double French doors. She then laid back on the bed and pulled the lamp string making the light in her room vanish. Jack then turned away from the window and laid back on his bed. He stared up to the ceiling of the room.

_'Maybe this won't be too bad.' _Jack thought. A small grin pulled at his lips as he felt himself slowly doze off into a deep peaceful sleep

* * *

**R&R**

**~Lee:]**


	3. New Neighbor

**Casa Del Mara Estates**

**~New Neighbor~**

* * *

No Pov

Bell chiming like singing birds sang through the trees and the luminous heated rays of the sun entered the room through the opened double French doors. The warmth the sun cast into the vintage style room stirred the young teen who slept in the bed. It was now Monday and thankfully for him it was summer. Jack did not want to go to a whole new school today; he wasn't ready for it for how quick it would have come. Jack hasn't even gotten used to his own home; he could get lost before he even exited the second story, much less find his way out of the forest-like neighborhood. He also did not feel like dealing with all of the other oldies at the High School he would be attending since he was in fact new to the school.

The sun rays were now high enough to shoot through the tree's many branches and through the French doors, onto Jack's eyes making him slowly wake up. He groaned and turned away from the window, pulled the blanket up over his head. Little did he know that his younger sister was footsteps away from bursting right into his bedroom. The white washed door swung opened and the little girl, dressed in the same exact clothes as yesterday, raced into the sunny room.

"Jack! Jack!" her high, bubbly voice exclaimed. He groaned and tried to ignore her for as long as possible but he knew that sooner or later she would rip all the covers off him.

"Wake up Jack!" her fully awake voice echoed around the room. Her tiny figure then hopped onto the bed and she threw herself on him.

"Mia-a-a-a." Jack whined obviously extremely drowsy. He immediately flipped himself over so he would be lying on his back. Mia then fell on top of him. Jack's deep brown, tired eyes stared at his little sister. Her slightly wavy brunette locks fell in front of her face messily as she struggled to get her tiny feet unplugged from the strangling blankets. Whenever Jack had turned over, the blankets ate up her feet. She gasped and whined wanted to be set free but Jack just watched her with a small smirk chuckling every now and then whenever she'd even get more tangled or nearly fall off the rather large bed. Then, Jack's eyes widened to their full potential and a smile grew on his lips as he saw how ridiculously cute she was acting. She had fallen off of the bed and she stared up at him with humungous brown doe eyes and an "O" shaped mouth. Her hair was pulled behind her boney shoulders, tu-tu poofed all around her slim child-like figure.

"Come here you." Jack's tired voice sounded as he sat up out of the bed. Little Mia gasped as she bounced up to her feet. With a slight squeal, the five year old girl tried to run away but Jack was able to snatch her from her escape. An outburst of shrieking laughter poured from Mia's lips as Jack's fingers brushed her sides and rib cage. The smile on his lips sprouted even more in hearing his sister's pleasurable laughter. Jack finally just carried her like a baby and stared into her brightly glowing eyes. Her breathing was excessively heavy as Jack spun around. Mia's eyes closed as she happily laughed. Jack finally stopped, he quiet laughing soon dying. Once he and Mia made eye contact he told her,

"Go tell mom I'll be down in a little while." She nodded with a small grin and wriggled out of his arms. Her tiny feet slapped the dark brown nearly black hard wood floor as she zipped out of her older brother's room. Jack just chuckled at her cuteness and to put it plainly, incredible innocence. Jack then turned to his bed and pulled the blankets and sheet back onto the bed. He remembered that they had fallen to the floor whenever he slipped out from underneath them. The teen's eyes then traveled to the end of the bed where he had discarded his jacket. He picked it up and pulled his iPod out from the pocket. He read the message on the front screen:

_iMessage: John 9:51pm_

_at sallys party. everyone misses u :(_

Jack couldn't help but feel a small grin pull at the corners of his lips. Sally was a friend from Jack's passed High School. She, Jack, and John were always together. He just exhaled loudly as he tossed the phone down to the jacket. Then, he felt a warm breeze warm him as he turned to the left. The double French doors were still opened. Suddenly, he remembered about the neighboring home and wondered if anyone was currently there. Jack looked down at the furnished chair next to the balcony doors and he grabbed his shirt and pulled it on over his head as he walked outside. It was later than he originally thought it would be. His elbows rested on the railing and he peered out over the trees and driveway. Then, movement from down below caught Jack's eyes. His gaze met the driveway and he saw his father leaving the house walking up to the Corolla. Jack just sighed. His dad was a workaholic and Jack was now sick of it. The brunette has wanted to tell his mother about it but after the last incident between the three of them, Jack trusted no one in his family. Of course, he wanted to and did trust Little Mia but she was only a child and did let things, many, things slip.

The last time his mother and he had talked about it, she promised to Jack that she wouldn't tell anyone. The next thing Jack knew was his dad getting all over him, up in his face for saying the things he had told his mother. Jack never spoke about anything to either one of them since.

Then, something interrupted Jack's thoughts. His hair was brushed by the wind as his gaze zipped to the movement he had just seen. His eyes widened whenever he had realized that I was from the neighboring house. The double French doors opened and Jack's breath hitched in his throat whenever he saw someone walk out to the balcony. He immediately avoided whoever gaze it was and watched a squirrel run up an oak tree's branch. After a few anxious seconds, he couldn't help but let his gaze trail aimlessly back to the balcony across from his. The same girl from last night was leaning against the railing, phone to her ear. He was slightly relieved in knowing she never noticed him yet. But, then he felt a weird feeling form in the pit of his stomach; like he was a little curious as to whom she was talking to and what about. He then silently chuckled at himself. How stalker-ish would that be? He didn't even know the girl. He had only seen her accidentally last night and didn't even bother to think about having a growing friendship since they would, in fact, most likely move yet again.

But, just as Jack decided to slip away unnoticed not wanting to make awkward eye contact, she pulled the phone away from her ear and slipped it back into her pocket. Before Jack could even respond, her eyes met his and he couldn't turn away. After a few painful moments, she finally smiled then turned away vanishing back into the house. Jack then slipped back inside his room, eyes big and round. Why? Was the only question swarming around in his extremely confused brain. Of course, there was many more questions but they all lead to why. Why he had to make a connection, why he felt as if he couldn't reject or do anything at all for that matter whenever they might meet again.

Then, he nearly yelped whenever his thoughts were brutally broken in hearing a high girlie voice.

"JACK! DOOR!" Jack immediately ran up to wherever the voice came from. Then, he exhaled a breath of relief in seeing an intercom next to his door. He then pressed the mute button and groaned. Of course Mia found the intercom, no she will bug him all the time with... wait... did she just say someone at the door? Oh no. Was the second thought that rushed through his mind. It was probably that blond. He just groaned again and exited the silent room.

"Finally it takes you a hundred years to get your slow butt out of bed." Jack glared at his mother at his greeting. The room he had walked into thankfully had the rather large spinning staircase and he just escalated down randomly entering the living room. His footsteps were then heard in the lobby and his sister's voice was then heard.

"JACK! A PRETTY GIRL'S AT THE DO-" Jack then clamped his hand over his sister's mouth as he ran up from behind her. Oh how patience was not a virtue his little sister pursued... at all. He shook his head at her then set her down behind him. After opening the door, he plastered a fake smile on his lips. That same girl stood at his door.

"Hello. I'm Kim." She smiled as she opened her hand out. Jack then took it and shook her hand, not taking his eyes off of her. She did loose his eye contact for a split second but he had kept staring. It was just like earlier; he couldn't look away. Her honey blond hair fell to her shoulders in shiny waves and the sun reflected her chocolate brown eyes perfectly.

"I saw you guys move here yesterday. It's actually the first time anyone has lived here, well that I've seen." she informed me. Jack nodded not seeing where this conversation was in fact going. He was in a deep ocean of anxiety and really had no want to talk to_ Kim _at the moment. The only thing that was keeping his at a stand still was the unusual feeling of being drawn to her. It wasn't how she looked, how she spoke, or how she carried herself. Maybe it was her presence? A sense of security, maybe? Or what if it was how she seemed like she was in control of anything that could go on because a sense of security would not have attracted Jack _at all; _for he wasn't very fond of people who had it. It wasn't because they acted like complete screw ups but because he was jealous. Yes, that awful conclusion was the best one the teen could make up for a cover story because in all seriousness, if it wasn't jealousy, he had no possible idea as to what it could have been.

"I'm Jack. Yeah, we just moved from Michigan." He replied not really caring about this little encounter even if he was a little stirred by it. She nodded her head, eyes widened in realization as to the words he had just spoken.

"Wow, that's pretty far." her voice ascended a few octaves; slightly surprised. Jack couldn't help but get the impression that she had a bit of a quirky side and as much as the teen would hate to admit it, Jack did in fact think she had sounded a little cute whenever she used that particular tone. But, he just, of course, hid it and nodded yet again in agreement.

"Yeah it is." He then voiced trying to hide the uncomfortable feeling; doing a well job at it also. But that being said, he couldn't help but cover it up in such a way that it left the two in a very anxious split second. The two neighbors stood there, not even daring to make eye contact, unsure of what to say or do. Now, that was actually a lie for Kim; she knew what to say and what to do but she thought it would be a very odd time to do so.

Then, Jack couldn't take not looking, watching her but he didn't know why. He just looked up at her and watched her uneasy figure. The concerned look flowing through her eyes was unbearable and the way she balanced her weight between each leg could give anyone the sense that she wasn't very fond of what she was in the middle of. But, to Jack she was interesting, unique. He didn't know how but he just... did. The morning breeze caught her shiny golden locks and brushed through them gracefully, despised her anxious manner.

Jack nearly gasped as her gaze met his. But instead of showing any shock or fear, Kim's eyes softened and his appearance became warm and welcoming. She smiled her toothy grin again and finally decided to break the dangerously thick awkward tension between the two.

"I'll see you around, Jack." Surprisingly, Jack smiled back as he nodded again.

"Maybe you will." After another bye she left and he closed the door, the same smile still on his lips. Surprisingly, it was real. Jack was lost for words. How did he even manage to reply to such a statement? Usually, if it was some other girl, not even just another teen, he'd just smile and wave. But no, he answered with a different statement that most kids their age wouldn't even dream of using.

With a roll of his eyes to how weird he had just sounded, Jack shut the front door and turned around. He gasped with a jump but calmed. His mother and sister stood there side by side in the same stance; arms crossed feet apart both giving him the death stare down.

"Who's that?" Mrs. Brewer's voice echoed through the lobby. Jack's gaze and attention were stolen and he looked up to meet his mother's strong gaze.

"Yeah, who's that?" Little Mia's high voice copied his mothers acting as if she owned the place. Jack couldn't help but let a small quirky smirk play at his lips but of course he wouldn't let anything get too out of hand for his mother was now giving him the "spill the macaroni" death glare.

"Our neighbors." Jack's very quiet voice replied. Then, avoiding their gazes and just slipped passed the two as quickly as he could. Mrs. Brewer then sighed a little down that he wouldn't talk.

"He won't talk to you mommy." Mia's child-like voice informed her mother. Jack's mother nodded in understanding; knowing that information already.

Jack was quite pleased with himself managing to get up to the second story without having to actually "spill the macaroni". Jack would have no trouble in admitting that he had had an extremely odd family. Instead of "spilling the beans" his family would say "spilling the macaroni". Or course, he had no idea as to how that had actually become a tag line in his family, he didn't even think his family did, nor did he want to find out.

The teen just zipped through the maze like house he had to call home and finally entered his room. He quickly grabbed his phone for it was passed 10 am; John told him he'd text him whenever he had waken up. He did have a text from John sent just five minutes ago.

_iMessage: John 10:23am_

_hey jman hows cali? _

Jack could honestly say that he didn't know how to reply. Yes there have been minor instances with neighbors, and unpacking, and neighbors... okay the only thing was neighbors. Why did it seem as if the only logical and truthful answers were ones you really don't like? Maybe they weren't but as for this situation they certainly were.

_Reply: Jack 10:28am_

_hey its...a little different then I expected turns out we bought some old mansion and we live next to the strangest girl ever_

Jack could not believe how easy that was. But that being said, he knew John would be all over him about this girl. Not caring to even reply, Jack just tossed his phone to the bed. A heavy exhale was audible throughout the room as Jack casually walked from the bed and towards the French doors to the balcony. The wind played with his still slightly messy hair as he just leaned against the railing again. A hundred thoughts rushed through him all at once as he wondered what he would do today. Of course he would just have to go down to the beach to catch some waves, maybe make slight conversation with fellow surfers and skaters but other than that, he had a secret interest in examining this house; the attic in particular. After he had pulled his thoughts together, Jack turned back to the doors and walked into his room. He examined his room a little unsure of what to do at the moment. The bed had a pile of blankets and pillows on it with something small jumbled up in the mix.

Jack noticed that it reflected the sun light coming through the doors and it sparkled. When he reached the bed, he chuckled in seeing what it was. Mia's little ballet shoe was tucked in the covers. Jack pulled it out of the pile. The shoe itself was a dingy light pink and on top, a slim pink bow with silver sparkles on it was sewn. Jack then turned to the door of his room and right before he was about to exit his room, he hears a little girl's voice singing along with jumpy, light steps that went along with the beat. He grinned to himself as he just stood at his door post waiting for her to pass by.

"Jackie." she laughs and runs to him. He smiled and showed her the shoe. Her chocolate brown eyes glowed in seeing the shoe.

"I was looking for that." She informed Jack. But, Jack just laughed at her.

"I'm sure." he replied. He knew that since her mind is all over the place and has many thoughts free flowing from it every second, she wasn't really looking for it. She probably remembered that she had miss-placed it.

Jack then turned back to his room and walked in, eyes to the dark wooden floor. He closed the door behind him and when he turned back to the room, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. With a slight yell, he jumped back. He landed on the floor and never took his eyes off of the figure in his room.

She then turned her head to the gasp and her eyes softened in realization of where she might have been.

It was Kim.

"Um, how did you get here, in my room?" Jack asked extremely confused and in all honesty, a little freaked out. Kim's eyes widened as an ever so slightly dull pink blush crept into her cheeks.

"Well, I was outside in the backyard and I found this sort of… lever in the hedge that circles the perimeter of the yard. So I pulled it and I walked into this tunnel. So, here I am." she explained rather quickly. Jack couldn't help but smirk in how she tried to defend herself. Jack then lifted himself to his feet and never took his eyes off of her.

"Well that's sort of creepy." Jack replied, unsure of how to grasp the fact that their houses were connected in such a mysterious and odd way. Kim nodded completely agreeing. Then, just as they both probably expected, they fell into another uneasy silence. The slight breeze coming from the doors gave Jack chills; they reminded him about Michigan and its chilly breeze. It was so funny how just the simplest of things like the breeze for example could give someone innumerable counts of emotions and thoughts.

Then, Jack was interrupted by some noise that came from Kim's direction. Kim smiled a little, blushing slightly.

"Sorry. Tummy speaks when it wants to." Kim told Jack, arms around her torso. Jack chuckled slightly.

"Well, I was about to go down to eat then hit the beach. Want to come?" Jack invited Kim. Her eyes lit up as she smiled slightly biting her lip.

"Sure." She accepted. Jack grinned and they both turned to emerge from the room.

"Wait," Jack interrupted both of their walks, "maybe you should um, go back? And come to the front door? I mean I don't want-"

"Oh! Yeah, I know what you mean-"

"Okay, it's just you know you, randomly in my room, new house, frantic mother," Jack rambled.

"Yeah, I get it; it would be pretty weird if I were in your shoes as well." Kim replied, finally finishing their little ramble. Kim turned from Jack and walked back to the small door. Jack saw it and nearly face palmed not noticing the indentions before. It was on the right side of the wall that his bed was against. Kim walked through it and it closed. He smirked with oh-so-many ideas rushing through him at the potential this door gave him.

In remembrance of Kim and the front door, Jack rushed out of his room and down the stairs. He flew by his mom and cringed knowing she would ask about his abnormal actions. Then, just as he was about to wonder where his little princess was, Mia's high pitched voice screamed,

"JACK! THAT SAME PRETTY GIRL IS AT THE FRON-" Jack clamped his hand over Mia's mouth, cutting her off.

"Shhh princess, I know." he whispered. Mia smiled and copied Jack, putting a finger to her mouth. Just before Jack was about to enter the lobby to answer the door, he heard a snicker from behind him. He turned to his mother.

"Ah, what did I do?" he asked, not able to pin-point anything he has done suspicious this past morning.

"You didn't deny nothin'!" his mom laughed coming towards Jack. He glared at her for using that weird accent she always uses whenever she's excited and because she just implied that he thought Kim was pretty. Jack just groaned and turned to the lobby of the house. He finally opened the front door and a smiling Kim stood there.

"Hello." she greeted. Jack just smiled and opened the door wider so she would walk through. Both Kim and Jack's attentions were pointed at his mother.

"Hello. I'm Kim, next door neighbor." her right arm was out stretched in front of her and Mrs. Brewer grinned as she shook it politely.

"Well hello Kim I'm Ross; Jack's mother." but, before Kim could even say anything else, a little girl's yell was heard. Mia wa yelling running up. Her tiny figure then crashed into Jack's leg. Jack made a noise as if he were to laugh. His hands then moved Mia around to face Kim. His glowing eyes met Kim's in turning Mia around; his stomach immediately dropped.

"K-Kim, this is Mia." he introduced his little sister. He was extremely confused; how could his stomach feel this way all of a sudden? Why would it even drop in the first place?

Jack just pushed the questions to the back of his mind. His eyes were set on Kim and Mia. The two girls were talking and laughing. Kim had lowered to Mia's height and she pointed out Mia's hair. Jack's hearing sense was not working at the current moment and all he could do was watch the two girls; they were unlike anything he's ever seen. No girl has been nice to Mia. Come to think of it, out of all the people Jack knows across the country, John and Kim were the only ones who actually let Mia have their attention. Kim being the first girl to actually be nice to Mia gave Jack an odd feeling that settled at the pit of his stomach.

"Hello?" Jack was snapped right out of his thoughts as he heard Kim's voice raise. "I said are you ready to go?" Kim finished. With yet another smile, Jack nodded and turned to his mom.

"Kim and I were going to go down to the beach for food and to surf." He informed his mom.

"Alright, Mia might want to go if that's o-" Jack's pleading look in his eyes made Mrs. Ross stop mid sentence and smirk, "I mean okay you guys go Mia can stay here." Jack just grinned as he rolled his eyes. His ears perked in hearing Mia's small voice scoff. He whipped around to her and lowered down so he would be level to he face.

"Kim and I are just going to go to the beach but when we get back, we'll do something together, alright?" Jack asked. She still ignored him. Jack just smirked/

"I'll teach you to skate?" he offered. Her eyes met his hopeful ones.

"But you already did." Her frustrated voice snapped back.

"No, with mine." Mia's eyes widened. Jack smiled again in seeing his sister's reaction. Mia had gotten her own toy-ish board over Christmas two years ago. After only a few weeks her skill had improved greatly. So, Jack has been thinking about letting her have his board and getting a new one for himself.

"Okay." she smiled. He hugged her.

"Be back in a little while princess." he told her. With that, he stood up and smiled back at Kim.

"Bye mom!" Jack called to the kitchen. There was no reply but Jack didn't expect one. He then followed Kim out of the door.

"It's so amazing how Mia's so attached to you." Kim explained how she thought about Jack and Mia's relationship. Jack nodded as he closed the front door fully.

"I know, it really is even when we're nothing alike." Jack replied.

"Oh really?" she asked sarcasm dripping off her tongue. Jack gave her the, 'C'mon.' look. Kim just chuckled a little. The two slipped into a comfortable silence as they walked down the long driveway. But, once they reached the end, Jack stopped Kim.

"So, I just moved here yesterday and I have no possible idea as to how you even get out of here." Kim smiled biting her lip slightly at how he had worded his last sentence. She then turned to him.

"Well, I never really knew either so… we'll just have to try to get out." Jack's eyes then widened in fear and shock. Kim then laughed slightly. "I'm kidding." Jack smiled at that point.

"I know how to get in and out silly." she told him. He then casually followed her, hoping that he could start memorizing how to get in and out of the forest like neighborhood.

**:...:...:...:...:**

After about seven to eight minutes of laughing, talking, and walking, the pair finally made it out of the neighborhood.

"So were you even able to memorize the way to get out, or at least street names?" Jack's eyes widened as they met hers. The two then burst out in laughter again. Neither of them knew why they were laughing so much around each other nor how they were comfortable enough to but all they really did know was that they knew that they acted like they have known own each other for a long time.

Kim led Jack to the left and they walked down the sidewalk. Jack was telling Kim about his last stay in California and how he was so excited to finally come back; excluding all of the other family problems and moving situations of course. Kim was explaining how she had moved from New Mexico to California whenever she was much younger and she's never moved since. Yes, Jack was a little uncomfortable about that considering a certain jealousy arouse in him but he pushed the feeling away.

The sky was clear, around eighty-degrees Fahrenheit no humidity, and a heavy breeze; perfect weather for surfing.

"This morning I was listening to the radio and the surf was really heavy." Kim's excited voice informed Jack. His eyes glowed with excitement.

"The last time I surfed was when we lived in Florida in two-thousand-nine," Jack admitted to Kim. Her eyes lit up but not for the reason Jack had originally thought.

"Wait, I thought you moved here from Minnesota?" Kim asked. Jack thought she had that gleam in her beautiful brown orbs because he hasn't been in the surf for six years. Wait, beautiful? Jack's heart stammered in wondering how that thought even came to him.

"It's a um, long story." Jack didn't want to tell her yet; he hasn't even known her for a day how can he trust her?

"Okay, just promise to tell me later, okay?" she asked him. Their eyes met and Jack really didn't want to give in but he couldn't ever come to reject her.

"Alright." he replied. Kim grinned weakly and then led them onto the seawall.

It was fairly busy today since it was summer but it wasn't overwhelmingly crowded. The breeze gave the heated rays of the sun a cooler feeling and the smell of ocean and sand was everywhere. Jack missed this; he missed California and was finally relived to be back. Kim and Jack were able to find the group of surfers Kim usually was with. There were five; standing and sitting around the surf shack's bar on the sand. Jack followed Kim down the seawall stairs; entering the beach. When they finally reached the group, Jack could already tell that they weren't some cheese balls who would be jerks.

From the stairs, it was about twenty feet to the bar. The white washed wooden bar was long enough for seven people to sit at and it curved around the small building so it faced the main street as well. Behind it, there was surf décor and a bar tender that was in the back at the moment. At the end of the bar, a five foot wide wall, of the same wood, stretched where surfboards were kept.

"Hey Kimmy, who's this?" one greeted, accent surprisingly thick Mexican. His hair was long and extremely dark from the ocean; they apparently just came back to shore from surfing. He sat on a chair with a cup of water in his hand. The sunglasses he wore were also fairly sandy. He grinned at Jack in gesturing to him.

"This is Jack, new neighbor. He's from Minnesota." Kim explained as Jack smiled raising his hand in saying hello.

"This is Mike, Liam, Jerry, Milton, and Carson." Kim introduced each person to Jack from left to right. Jack smiled at each one but when he saw Carson, his eyes widened and he ignored him. Mike looked to be the oldest; around nineteen or even twenty. He had short light red hair that was almost dry from the waves. He was leaning against the bar, surf board behind him against the wall leading to the back of the little snack shack.

Liam was shorter than Jack but just about a half of an inch. He wore a full surfing body suit that was black with red stripes on the sides. The blond looked to be a skilled surfer maybe even training to be a pro one. Jerry was sitting on the chair drink in hand still; he only wore his swim shorts and had his board horizontally lying under the bar at his feet.

Milton had longer cut long hair that was slightly messy and straight. He wore just a plain blue t-shirt and swim shorts. But Carson, he looked as if he had just arrived. His long jeans were sandy at the hems and he wore a deep blood red shirt with black designs on it. His long extremely dark hair was pulled back.

"Jack have you surfed?" Liam asked just a second after Kim had introduced Jack. Jack nodded his head frantically.

"Yes of course, I was getting pretty good at it until we moved from Florida to Minnesota in two-thousand-nine." he replied.

"Wanna go and catch some?" Jerry asked. Jack smiled as he nodded his head. Jerry sipped his drink again and left it on the bar.

"Let's go guys." he told them. But, when he saw Carson grin and follow them, he couldn't help but inwardly groan. Jerry slipped his board out from in between his seat and the bar as Liam and Mike were already almost to the breakers. Carson grabbed a board from the shack as Jack and Kim followed Jerry to the ocean. Just after they exited out of the shack's premises, Kim turned to the right. There was another small building where Kim had slipped out of her over clothes and tossed them into an outside locker.

She wore a blood red halter bikini and her long blond hair was pulled back in a pony tail. Jack followed her to get a board after he had tossed his shirt into an empty locker.

"So the shorter ones are to catch smaller waves to gain speed and the longer ones-"

"I know how this works Kimmy." Jack muttered with a smirk. Kim raised an eyebrow as she hit him in the stomach with her elbow. He gasped.

"Hey! What did I do?" he asked breathlessly. Kim just smiled as she pulled a board down from the shelf.

"You called me Kimmy." She replied. His mouth hung open.

"Hey! Jerry did." Kim laughed slightly.

"He has a good reason to." she then left the shack and as Jack pulled a board off the wall, he couldn't help but have an odd feeling arouse in him again. As he exited the shack, he saw Kim catch up to Jerry. Jack immediately identified it as jealousy; but why? It wasn't like he was jealous of the possibility of them being 'an item'. Jack caught up with the two and Jerry flashed him a toothy grin.

"C'mon it looks like it's getting rougher!" Jerry exclaimed excitedly. Jack couldn't help but smile as Kim did also. Jerry then left to the ocean. Kim and Jack then started walking.

"So um, are you guys…" Jack trailed off.

"What? Oh no," Kim laughed finally catching onto what he was asking. Jack couldn't help but have a little bit of relief flow through him, "We've just known each other for a long time. He's more like an older brother." Jack nodded but then, a sly smirk pulled at the corners of Kim's lips.

"Why? Jealous?" she asked teasingly. Jack snickered.

"Heck no." he replied. Kim laughed.

"Ri-i-i-ight, keep telling yourself that skater boy," Kim chuckled. She then ran off into the waves. But, Jack couldn't fight the small grin that played at his lips. He watched Kim catch up to the other surfers out there. He uneasily let out a breath and was about to follow when he felt someone brush against his shoulder. His attention was stolen by Carson.

"Watch your back, skater boy." he mocked Kim's voice as he called him that. Jack just rolled his eyes as Carson stalked off towards the waves. Jack was definitely not looking forward to this surf because of Carson.

Jack pushed Carson to the back of his mind, not letting him get to his head. It was, in fact, his first day with Kim and the rest of the group. Bad first impressions were not on his list of things he wanted to do today so he decided to keep them off of it.

* * *

**Hello! I am extra super duper sooooo sorry for not updating any of my stories for over a month! I have been so busy with things and have had an extreme writers block. I was able to get this chapter up today though (yay me)  
**

**R&R**

**~Lee:]**


	4. End Note

**Hello readers. **

**I am extremely sorry for not updating any stories in such a long time! It's just that I haven't had any inspiration for Kickin' It, even the show. The show is just dull, kiddish, and not as good as it used to be. Season one was so amazing and funny but now, it's boring. **

**As much as I hate to say it, I won't be finishing any stories on this account any longer. I have moved to my other account:**

**bowtiesandbrits: u/4828723/bowtiesandbrits**

**Which is where I will publish my Supernatural, Doctor Who, and Sherlock fanfics. (SuperWhoLockian now) **

**I hope you guys understand. But, to not take everything away all at once, I will be finishing two of the however many stories I have here. ****_On The Fifth Floor_**** and ****_Casa Del Mara Estates_**** are the two I pick. **

**_On The Fifth Floor_****:**

**Because my best friend really, really wants me to finish it and if I finish it, I'd want you guys to read it :)**

**_Casa Del Mara Estates_****:**

**Because it's mature enough and has a very OOC setting where I can change the characters to either be my own or one of my other fandoms. **

**I'm really sorry again. I will be reading some more Kickin' It fanfics and hopefully review so don't think I completely left you guys! I will be on my other account reviewing too :) **

**Farewell Friends**

**-Lee:)**


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